Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith (58) has requested for a trade. Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Bears LB Roquan Smith requests trade

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 8/9/22

The Chicago Bears' leading tackler from each of the last four seasons apparently wants out of the "Windy City."

#Bears All-Pro LB Roquan Smith has requested a trade. pic.twitter.com/x4vmOMhROt
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 9, 2022

Among the frustrations detailed:
— Roquan Smith has lost trust by what he believes are their attempts to take advantage of him.
— He feels this entire process hasn’t been a negotiation, just the Bears trying to strong-arm him with a take-it or leave-it deal https://t.co/E3tqyU6eAe
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 9, 2022

More frustrations:
— The backloaded offer, which wouldn’t make him the highest paid in actual salary, included proposed de-escalators that not a single player out of the 94 non-QB, $15M+ contracts has. He was offended.
— The deal would hurt the LB market as a whole. https://t.co/E3tqyU6eAe
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 9, 2022

After being selected eighth overall out of Georgia in 2018, Smith led the Bears with his 121 combined tackles as a rookie and was third on the team with 5.0 sacks as well. Despite missing four games in 2019, Smith racked up a team-high 101 combined tackles and then in 2020, he paced Chicago in a host of categories including combined tackles (139) and tackles for loss (18), while tying for third in passes defended (seven) and sacks (4.0).

The 25-year-old recorded a team-best and career-high 163 combined tackles in 2021 and made Second Team All-Pro for the second consecutive season.

In March, the Bears traded six-time Pro Bowl linebacker Khalil Mack to the Las Vegas Raiders. If they were to lose Smith as well, they project to trot out the likes of new acquisitions Matthew Adams and Nicholas Morrow in their linebackers group.

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